


Jackpot

by zoldyckstripshow



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Fights, Fist Fights, Gen, Hisoka threatens KilluGon and gets hit in the face with a mace, Hisoka vs. Kite, I'm sorry I have no idea if/where this fits into the canon timeline, Nen Fight, Other, and Killua spends a lot of time analyzing the fight because that's what he always does, but whatever it's a hypothetical 1v1 fic lmao, let's just call it an AU where Kite is alive and everyone is happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 04:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5695546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoldyckstripshow/pseuds/zoldyckstripshow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“If you leave, I’ll kill them.” Hisoka examined his nails absently, like they were discussing the weather, but the gravity of his words made Killua’s hair stand on end. He couldn’t tell – was Hisoka bluffing? He valued this upcoming fight with Gon too much to waste it, but he was also fickle in his grotesque affections, and would probably have no problem killing them to spite Kite. </p><p>This just kept getting worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jackpot

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how to preface this exactly - I needed practice writing fight scenes and this is a matchup I never see in the fandom, so here we are! Hisoka vs. Kite in a 1v1 (with a little KilluGon tag-teaming). I've named this pairing Clownfriends. :3c 
> 
> KilluGon is super gently implied, but totally not the point of this fic.

“I can’t believe a snail was worth 5,000,000 Jenny. That’s amazing.”

“Yeah, I can see how Kite can afford to travel so much and buy literal mountains for his friends.”

Killua and Gon were trekking down the stairs of the Padokea Biology Department’s headquarters, after delivering a newly discovered species of snail for research. Kite had invited them to come along with him on the trip and share in the payout – 2,000,000 for Killua and Gon each, and 1,000,000 for Kite. He’d insisted on splitting the check like this because it, “wasn’t about the money”, but Killua suspected it was actually because he had more money than he knew what to do with, at this point.

It worked out in the end. He and Gon now had the funds to eat, lodge, and travel for at least a few months, and they’d gotten the chance to spend more time with Kite. It was a win-win.

Kite was still in the meeting room upstairs, talking to his employer and setting up another job. Depending on what it was, Killua and Gon would go along with him again, or spend some time exploring the countryside by themselves, and meet up with Kite later.

They passed through the lobby of the building and waited outside, cheerful sun beating down on their mussed hair and soaking into their skin. Killua scratched his arm absently. He’d never been one to tan well, thanks to his Zoldyck genes, so he tried to avoid direct UV rays. Gon, on the other hand, just got darker and darker with every passing day, a testament to his heritage as an islander off the coast. Killua sort of envied him. He’d much rather have a golden tan than a sunburn.

Killua’s fingers twitched. It was an involuntary movement, but they’d grasped lightly at the air, and he’d been overcome with a sudden urge to sharpen his nails. The years and years of torturous training he’d undergone meant that his subconscious often registered threats before he himself noticed anything was amiss, and he was halfway to gripping Gon’s arm and making a break for it when he felt it: oozing, hot slime, crawling over his body, weighted like steel and nigh unbreakable.

The aura was familiar. His eyes darted around, looking for the culprit, but of course, Hisoka wasn’t actually hiding – he was leaning up against a tree, arms crossed over his chest, watching them with his thin lips twisted into a smile.

It took Gon a few seconds to notice him, too, and he gave a tiny little gasp of surprise. “It’s Hisoka! What’s he doing here?”

“It doesn’t matter. We should –”

Hisoka extended his hand in what was probably supposed to be an inviting gesture. Killua instantly focused his aura, using Gyo to check for any stray Bungee Gum.

Hisoka retracted his hand, feigning hurt. “Killua, I’m shocked. I wouldn’t ambush you like that.”

“Great. We’ll be leaving, now.” Killua took a step to the left, in the direction of the town’s center, where there would be witnesses and places to hide. He didn’t feel Gon move with him, though. “Gon, let’s go.” Killua hissed between his teeth. Gon wasn’t listening. He was fixated on Hisoka, a knit in his brow, like he was thinking through a math problem.

Straightening up, Hisoka began to mosey their direction, one manicured hand on his hip as it swung. Killua tracked his movements carefully, ready to make a mad dash to town with Gon slung over his shoulder, if necessary.

“It’s been so long. I came to catch up and check in, see how much you’ve grown.” Hisoka’s sickly sweet voice trickled over Killua’s spine. It was filled with dangerous bloodlust. “I heard Gon developed quite the Hatsu. How about a peep show?”

Killua tensed his muscles as Hisoka approached. As if reading his mind, Gon offered a tiny shrug. “Kite’s upstairs. I think we’re safe.”

But it was more than that. Killua could see the sparkle in his eyes, the cogs turning in his head, the way his fists were clenching and unclenching. He was itching for a fight, too. He was always itching for a fight.

They were still laughably mis-matched, in terms of power. Killua could tell just from a glance: Hisoka kept getting stronger every time they saw him, and he’d started out so far ahead anyway, they weren’t even close to catching up. He could probably take them both at once if he wanted. Maybe without using Nen at all.

No, they weren’t ready to fight someone of his caliber yet, and Killua had to make sure Gon didn’t stick his foot in his mouth and start a brawl right here.

Killua had to protect him.

He began flipping through the scenarios in his mind. Best case, he hits Hisoka with a thunderbolt and they get far, far away from here using Godspeed, and call Kite to meet them somewhere else. Worst case, Hisoka’s Bungee Gum nullifies all of Killua’s attacks, and they get pummeled to dust before anyone can help them. Does a rubbery aura retain the qualities of actual rubber, such that electricity won’t do any damage? If he acted fast enough, maybe Hisoka wouldn’t have time to defend himself, and they could get away.

“Have I ever shown you my mind-reading trick?” Hisoka was shuffling through a deck of cards as he walked. His aura was getting steadily less restrained, leaking out evidence of his obvious strength. “If I guess correctly, you owe me a demonstration, hm?” Without waiting for an answer, he disappeared, materializing in front of Killua’s face and stooping down to look him in the eye. “You’re planning your escape. But, I think we both know you’re no more ready to run from me than you are to fight me.” Hisoka stood up and took a few steps back, gaze sweeping over them. “I’d put you at a 50 and 55.”

“Out of what?” Gon asked, indignant. Killua wanted to slap him upside the head. That was so beyond the point –

But Hisoka wasn’t looking at them anymore. He was staring at the wall behind them, a glazed expression coming over his features, and he let out a breathless laugh. “And _that_ – is a 95.”

Killua blinked, unsure of who he was referring to, when he saw a blue newsboy cap off to the side. Kite was frowning, his long hair fluttering in the gentle breeze. No doubt he could feel the power radiating from their unwelcome guest. He seemed on edge, but not aggressive; he didn’t want to fight, either. Relief washed over Killua. Maybe they could get out of this without a scratch.

“I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure.” Kite’s voice was clipped. Hisoka turned to face him, a sinister grin splitting his features. He gave a bow.

“Just a magician passing by.”

“Friends of Gon and Killua?”

“Mm, we’ve been friendly.”

Kite’s eyes narrowed. Killua edged over in his direction, dragging Gon with him, until they were safely at Kite’s side. Hisoka didn’t stop them. He just licked his lips hungrily, chest swelling up with what Killua could only describe as excitement.

The three of them could definitely overpower Hisoka, that much was clear. Killua knew he and Gon weren’t skilled enough to actually hurt him, but Kite, after being trained by one of the top 5 Nen users in the world and having years of experience, would definitely be able to hold his own. Right?

Hisoka seemed to think so. The cards were back, and every time he shuffled them, Killua wanted to flinch. Any one of them could come flying their way.

“Well, I’m glad you three had time to catch up. But we really should be going.” Kite squared his shoulders. He was incredibly thin, compared to Hisoka’s bulky mass, but Killua knew that didn’t matter much in a firefight. It came down to strategy, Nen skill, and luck.

“So soon? But I didn’t get my prize. Gon owes me a show,” Hisoka purred. The cards were a blur in his hands.

“I’m sure that’s a debt that can be paid later.”

“You’re right. Gon’s not ready yet, and neither is dear Killua. But you, you’re just filled with potential, aren’t you? Overflowing. It’s… delectable.”

Kite scowled. “I’m flattered. But like I said, it’s time for us to leave. Gon, Killua.” He jerked his head to the side, signaling them to start moving.

“If you leave, I’ll kill them.” Hisoka examined his nails absently, like they were discussing the weather, but the gravity of his words made Killua’s hair stand on end. He couldn’t tell – was Hisoka bluffing? He valued this upcoming fight with Gon too much to waste it, but he was also fickle in his grotesque affections, and would probably have no problem killing them to spite Kite.

This just kept getting worse. Killua glanced up at Kite. His face was frighteningly blank, wiped clean of any emotion that might betray his intentions. Killua couldn’t sense any disturbances in his aura, either. He was perfectly still.

After one more scathing look in Hisoka’s direction, Kite murmured, “Let’s go.”

No sooner had the three of them taken a step towards town, and there was a card at Gon’s neck, glinting with Nen in the sunlight. Killua saw a flurry of white hair and heard a fist connecting with something. He automatically pulled Gon to the side and they took up defensive positions a safe distance away.

Kite had wasted no time with his uppercut, striking Hisoka’s jaw hard enough to send him stumbling back. Gon let out a noise of surprise.

“Killua, he hit Hisoka!”

“I know, idiot, I saw.”

“Hisoka’s so strong – do you think Kite’s as strong as he is?”

Killua didn’t have an answer. He wasn’t sure, but just being able to land a straight up punch was more than Gon or he had ever been able to do.

Hisoka didn’t look like he’d taken any actual damage from the hit, and he was chuckling, rubbing his jaw slowly while he looked Kite up and down. “Don’t tease me. I know that wasn’t all you’ve got.”

Kite wasn’t making any extra effort to attack. His hazel eyes were calculating as he sized up his opponent. “I’m not in a giving mood.”

“I’ll take what I want, then.”

“Not even going to say “please”?”

Hisoka’s jaw tightened. “You’re just making me want to kill you more. Don’t worry, they’ll die first, so you can watch, and then maybe you’ll be motivated to give this some effort.” As he spoke, he made an elaborate hand gesture, his long nails arcing through the air in a dramatized finger-point. The movement was chillingly familiar. Killua reactivated his Gyo to see a rope of Bungee Gum headed in Kite's direction. Kite saw it too; he dodged out of the way easily, and the pink aura attached itself to a rock instead.

Killua grit his teeth. Kite was still trying to salvage this and get away without a fight. Killua had to commend him, Kite was really committed to a life of peace. Even though he might stand an actual chance of taking down a ruthless killer like Hisoka, he wasn’t interested in the violence it would require. The differences in their views on killing were like night and day; he and Killua truly did come from different worlds.

Sometimes, thinking about it made Killua sick to his stomach, knowing that he’d taken the lives of so many people and still stuck by Gon’s side, as if he deserved to be there. Kite was much better suited to be Gon’s friend. They shared Ging in common, and an unfaltering brightness – a purity and reverence for the world and its life that Killua simply didn’t have. He often felt like the odd one out in their little trio. It left a bitter taste in his mouth that even his favorite chocolates couldn’t mask.

He refocused on the scene unfolding in front of him. Kite and Hisoka were staring each other down. From what Killua remembered, Hisoka liked to play with his opponents before he fought and killed them, breaking them down mentally and saving the physical pain for last. Kite, on the other hand, got right to the point in most of his battles, not bothering to sugarcoat anything. He probably didn’t like to draw out the unpleasant experience of killing.

Here, though, the lines were blurred, and Killua found himself intrigued. Did Kite’s code of conduct change when he was being explicitly threatened like this?

Killua realized he hadn’t spoken during this exchange, and raised his voice. “Kite, he’s a Transmuter, he changes his aura into a sticky gum and attaches it to things.”

“Oh – I should’ve thought of that.” Gon whispered. Telling Kite about Hisoka’s strengths and weaknesses seemed like a no-brainer, but they’d momentarily forgotten, caught up in the action, and Killua shuddered to think what could’ve happened if Kite had been caught by the Bungee Gum. He wasn’t as strong as Razor and wouldn’t be able to win in a game of tug-of-war with Hisoka.

“He probably won’t let us leave peacefully. You’ll have to use force.” Killua amended, knowing that information was probably more helpful than a Hatsu analysis. He guessed Kite could handle the Nen aspect of it just fine.

Kite finally heaved a sigh. There was a poof, and Crazy Slots appeared by his hand, cackling loudly.

Hisoka clapped his hands together, eyes bright as he watched. “Your Hatsu is a clown? We have so much in common.”

Crazy Slots’ roulette started to spin, numbers whirring by too fast to read. They’d only ever seen three of Kite’s weapons, and despite the urgency of the situation, Killua found himself excited at the prospect of learning about another prize from the slot machine.

The numbers started to slow down and he and Gon waited with baited breath. Hisoka was also paying close attention, for once not interrupting, and when Crazy Slots landed on 5, a long stream of curses tumbled out of Kite’s mouth. Killua was shocked; he’d never heard Kite swear like that before, but when he saw the new pair of brass knuckles on Kite’s fists, he understood.

It was probably the worst thing he could’ve gotten. Granted, Killua didn’t know what other weapons he had, but against Hisoka, someone with extreme physical prowess and an obnoxiously versatile Hatsu that was like superglue, brass knuckles would be _awful_ to work with. Anxiety settled in the pit of Killua’s stomach.

Hisoka was delighted. Of course he would be. He knew how skilled he was at close-combat. Kite was already at a huge disadvantage, on his first roll.

But the one saving grace with Crazy Slots was Kite’s ability to re-spin – he only had to land one punch on Hisoka (Killua assumed), and then he could roll again, hoping for a more appropriate weapon.

Kite must’ve known this as well, because he made the first move, rushing forward in a boxing stance, to take a swing at Hisoka’s face. This time, it didn’t connect, Hisoka dodging nimbly out of the way, a teasing smile on his lips. He reached out an arm to chop at the back of Kite’s neck but Kite blocked it easily, his forearm taking the brunt of the hit. His long leg swung around, almost connecting with Hisoka’s hip, but Hisoka danced out of range and Kite took a step back, increasing the distance between them.

Hisoka laughed. “I don’t know what the story behind those brass knuckles is, but if you never hit me, then it doesn’t matter, does it?”

Well, it mattered a little, because if Kite couldn’t land another punch, he’d be wearing those brass knuckles for the rest of the day, and maybe the rest of the week. Gon would probably volunteer as target practice to get them off Kite’s hands, but Killua would never let him, and the three of them knew it would be an empty stalemate, so unless they happened upon a robbery or some similar crime, Kite would absolutely have to hit Hisoka at least once.

Kite didn’t seem phased by Hisoka’s taunts. On the contrary, his features hardened into stony determination, and he moved forward in a flash, feinting an uppercut and following it with a kick. Hisoka matched his speed, blocking the kick and raking his nails through the air. Kite’s back bowed as he pulled away to avoid getting mauled.

“That was petty.” Killua muttered.

“No kidding.” Gon agreed, just as transfixed with the fighters’ movements.

Killua tried to focus on Kite. He’d already seen Hisoka in battle, knew what he was capable of, but Kite fighting was a much rarer phenomenon.

Kite’s aura was smooth. There were no “tells” anywhere; his aura didn’t visibly clump together in areas he was planning to use or protect. Even as he aimed another punch at Hisoka, Killua couldn’t see any evidence of his intent in his fist. It was impressive. Years of training under Ging had honed his aura, completely refining it, so no one could anticipate his next move. On top of having a wild card Hatsu, he was an unpredictable mass of hair and gangly limbs, and graceful to boot.

There was no doubt in Killua’s mind that Kite was the stronger Nen user. He could extend his En out up to fifty meters and maintain it for an incredible length of time, produce a sentient Hatsu clown, and his use of Ryu and Ken were startlingly acute. Kite had once mentioned how Ging liked to spar with him in the mornings, and the skill difference between them had been so pronounced, he’d had no choice but to master the defensive techniques on his own, to protect himself against being pummeled repeatedly.

Yes, Kite was an exceptional Nen user, but Killua had to admit, in terms of combat ability, Hisoka might have him outclassed. Even as they exchanged blows at lightning speed, Killua could see that Hisoka’s were harder-hitting, and made more of an impact. They must take a substantial amount of focus to block properly.

“Why hasn’t Hisoka attached his Bungee Gum to Kite yet?” Gon turned to him, his face a mess of confusion. “Any time he touches Kite, he could attach it. So why doesn’t he?”

Killua considered. “He could just be having fun in a fist fight. Maybe he thinks that would end it too quickly. Or, more likely, he thinks Kite would be able to fight it off somehow. Using Bungee Gum to attack is most effective when people don’t know about it.”

“Do you think Kite _could_ fight it off?”

“I’m not sure. Razor didn’t, not exactly, but Hisoka chose to give up. I don’t know what would happen with Kite.”

Killua looked back in time to see Kite land another real hit. After an elaborate series of feints, his fist collided with Hisoka’s shoulder, forcing him to stumble back a few feet. Gon cheered next to him, but Killua’s sharpened eyesight caught on to a small glimmer on the brass knuckles. He pointed to get Gon’s attention.

“What’s that?”

“Oh – it looks shiny. That wasn’t there before, was it?”

“…no.” Killua squinted, but Kite was already engaged in another volley of punches, and his hands were a blur. It had appeared to be a jewel or something similar on the crest of one of the knuckles.

As the seconds ticked by, Hisoka was getting more and more serious. His brow started to furrow with legitimate concentration. Kite’s movements were now restricted to defense alone, and he was losing ground, being forced to retreat with each one of Hisoka’s incredibly strong jabs. Killua chewed the inside of his cheek. Neither of them had suffered any injuries, yet, but that wouldn’t remain the case for long. He contemplated sending a bolt of lightning Hisoka’s way to give Kite a breather, but would it even be effective?

Killua also got the vibe that Kite would be offended by a tag-team effort. He was stubborn, almost as stubborn as Gon, and though he never vocalized it, he had a lot of pride. But as he watched Kite almost get his jaw dislocated by a particularly well-placed punch, he had to wonder what was more important.

“Should we help?” Gon asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet and obviously keen to get in on the action. Killua made a split-second decision, and shook his head.

“We’ll let Kite deal with it for now. But he could probably use a distraction, so he can roll again. Those brass knuckles aren’t doing him any good.”

“I’m on it!”

“Wait – Gon!” Killua slapped his palm against his forehead as Gon sped away. He should’ve known better than to bring it up.

“Hey, Hisoka! Why don’t you fight me instead? I’ve been training a lot with Kite, and I’m way stronger now!” Gon settled his hands on his hips, trying to look taller. Hisoka glanced over in his direction, a fraction of a smile returning to his face, but he was not to be deterred from his task at present: killing Kite. Or at least maiming him. Killua wasn’t sure how far Hisoka would go in this fight, but he wasn’t too interested in finding out, lest they lose their one reliable father figure.

Thinking fast, Killua took a deep breath, activating Godspeed. The familiar prickle of electricity in his hair and down his spine heightened his senses. Immediately, he knew where to aim, and he let the electric current run his body for him, appearing between Hisoka and Kite with a crackle of blue thunder. Time to test this out. He reached his hand out and pressed his palm against Hisoka’s chest, releasing a bolt of lightning.

It felt sort of like dipping one’s hand in molasses. Hisoka’s aura was warm and viscous, and Killua immediately jerked his hand away, darting back to Gon’s side before he could get glued to their fearsome opponent.

“Nice, Killua!” Gon high-fived him and they watched the electric volts sparkle in the daylight. Hisoka was frozen, a look of sadistic pleasure on his face, as his muscles twitched involuntarily.

Kite wasted no time. He shot Gon and Killua a meaningful look as he let his brass knuckles disappear, Crazy Slots _poof_ -ing back into existence and starting another roll. Gon flashed him a thumbs-up.

Killua waited, heart in his throat, as Crazy Slots took its time cycling through numbers, and Hisoka’s body slowly stopped trembling. His tongue was lolling out the side of his mouth in a sick gesture of appreciation. Killua blanched. It had stopped him, but Hisoka had obviously enjoyed it, so he’d make sure to never do that again.

Killua glanced at his hand. He’d felt the rubbery consistency surrounding Hisoka, and knew without question that using Godspeed was the only reason his thunderbolt had worked. Hisoka hadn’t had time to prepare or thicken his aura at all, and it allowed Killua a tiny opening of opportunity, to shock him. It was a lucky shot.

“Damn, bad spin.” Kite held up number 3, the mace, wielding it with both hands.

“Huh? That’s a bad spin too? What do you think he’s hoping for?” Gon’s amber eyes followed the path of the mace as it swung through the air. Hisoka leaped clear, whipping out his deck of cards. That must mean it was a more serious fight now.

“With an opponent like Hisoka, something sharp might be best. Projectiles are useless against his Bungee Gum, and his reflexes are too fast for that anyway. We’ve never seen him fight a swordsman, though, and I’m betting that a Nen empowered blade might be able to slice through his Bungee Gum. But the mace is better than a lot of other things he could’ve gotten.” Killua glanced around. There were some outdoor outlets on the building behind them, so if things got messy, he could add some extra charge to his attacks while they made a getaway.

A loud _crack_ echoed in the courtyard as Kite smacked Hisoka upside the head with his mace. Killua wasn’t sure if Hisoka had missed a beat or was trying to gauge Kite’s strength, but either way, he went flying into a nearby tree, crumpling to the ground in a heap of clown’s clothing.

There were a few cuts on Kite’s arm from some of Hisoka’s cards he hadn’t managed to dodge. The blood was already coagulating, though, and Killua found himself more interested in Kite’s sudden enthusiasm for battle. His chest was heaving, though this next stage of the fight had only just begun, and there was a brightness in his eyes that wasn’t present a few minutes ago. Maybe it was the change of weapons?

Hisoka wiped his lip against the back of his hand. It was split wide open, blood dripping down his face and onto his shirt, but like usual, he wasn’t fazed at all. His tongue flicked past his lips – snakelike – to lap up some of the blood. Killua grunted in disgust. There was just no end to his repulsive antics.

Kite made a hand signal behind his back, out of Hisoka’s view. Killua stiffened. It was a code they’d developed some time ago. This particular sign meant run, using Godspeed, after Kite did whatever he was planning to do. Gon let out of a huff of indignation and Killua punched his shoulder gently. Idiot, he’d give away their plan if he reacted too openly.

Hisoka got to his feet, brushing off his clothes and running a hand through his now-disheveled hair. His aura was radiating from his body with alarming malice. Kite’s expression darkened.

Taking his cards in his hands, Hisoka began to shuffle through them, ultimately letting them go and using his Bungee Gum to turn them into a razor-sharp windmill. He raised his hand up and let it come rushing down, so that the cards snapped like a whip as they made contact with Kite’s arm, tearing through his shirt as he ducked away in the nick of time. Killua felt a cold worry in his chest. Sometimes, the versatility of Hisoka’s Nen hit him like a tsunami, and he had to reevaluate what he thought he knew about his own aura’s capabilities.

Kite blocked the next onslaught with his mace, but Hisoka’s Bungee Gum wrapped around the handle several times over, and they started up a game of tug-of-war. Even if Kite lost, he could reconjure Crazy Slots, but those few moments without a weapon could mean the end, especially if Hisoka was being serious.

But it looked like Kite was prepared. He glanced at Killua, his chin dipping down in a tiny nod, and Killua activated Godspeed again, grabbing Gon and making a run for it. He heard noises of a tussle and a tree crashed to the ground behind him, stirring up flocks of crows into the sky. He didn’t look back. He didn’t have to. As long as Kite created a good enough diversion, he could get away, and they would be in the clear. Just breaking the line of sight between himself and Hisoka would be enough.

Among other things, Kite was a master at staying hidden. He could even conceal his presence from animals, who relied on their sense of smell and natural instinct to detect danger; during his search for Ging, he had sought to understand the act of hiding, so better to find his mentor. Even Hisoka wouldn’t be able to sense him. At least, they were banking on that.

Gon’s face was screwed up in thought as they dashed through the forest. He was incredibly light in Killua’s arms, and Killua remembered just how small they were, in the grand scheme of things. They hadn’t hit their growth spurts yet. Gon’s arms, though thin, housed incredible power, and sometimes even Killua forgot how misleading their appearances were.

When he reached a good stopping point a few miles away, Killua stopped, listening for any sounds of a pursuer. The forest was silent except for a small creek and some birds.

“Do you think Kite’s okay?” Gon whispered, setting his feet on the ground and resting his chin on Killua’s shoulder, like a puppy does when it’s asking for attention. Killua flicked his nose gently.

“I’m sure of it. Let’s just wait for him to catch up. Not even Kite can match my Godspeed.”

“I know. Killua, you’re so cool!”

“Sh – shut up.”

Gon bent down to doodle designs in the dirt. Not a full minute had passed before Killua saw a blue newsboy cap in some bushes to the right, and Kite emerged, covered head-to-toe in leaves, dirt, and some extra cuts.

“What happened?” Killua demanded, looking him up and down.

Kite sighed, ushering them deeper into the forest and towards another town nearby. “I let him think he took the mace, called up some of Crazy Slots’ introductory smoke, knocked over a tree, and left.”

“You just left?”

“There were more punches exchanged, of course, but as I’m sure you noticed, he’s much stronger than I. It was safer to just leave.”

“But you held your own!” Gon, of course, would defend Kite from everyone, including his own self-criticisms.

“I have a better handle on advanced Nen techniques. But even that isn’t enough to stave off a murderer like him. If we had continued, I’m certain I would’ve lost.”

They walked in silence for a while, absorbing this information. Killua had to agree. Kite’s fighting was refined, but at heart, he was not a violent person, and so spent more time meditating than actually training for combat. Hisoka was his polar opposite. He was rough around the edges, and probably couldn’t command Nen as well as Kite, but was a natural fighter with a passion for it.

Kite would’ve been killed or severely injured, eventually.

“Hey, Kite, was there something shiny on your brass knuckles, or did I imagine it?”

“As always, Killua, you have a good eye.” Kite straightened his cap as they walked. “No, you didn’t imagine it. The brass knuckles have a hit counter that goes up with every successful punch. When all eight levels are cleared, they triple the power of a punch.”

“Wow, so that’s like, an automatic K.O.!”

“Depending on the opponent, yes, it can be.”

“Do all your weapons have cool powers like that?”

“No. It takes a lot of energy to allocate Nen into a unique ability for this Hatsu, and I’ve only specialized a few of them. The scythe you’ve seen, the brass knuckles, and two others.”

“What are they?”

“You’ll see, someday.”

“Aw, but I want to know now!”

Kite ruffled Gon’s hair affectionately. “Be glad that you don’t have to know. It means we’re safe.”

Killua let out a long breath, looking up at the sky. It was nearing dusk. They would probably stop to eat before leaving town on their next adventure. Maybe Kite would tell them more stories about his time searching for Ging, if he wasn’t too busy meditating to heal his bruises faster. The spot where Hisoka had clocked him on his jaw was turning an ugly shade of purple.

Despite himself, Killua beamed, hugging Gon from the side. There was a triumphant buzz in his blood that he couldn’t contain. They had managed to get away from Hisoka mostly unscathed and watching Kite battle was better than he could’ve ever hoped for. After all the bad luck they’d encountered on their journey thus far, a happy ending was something he’d learned to savor.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how fair I was to the characters' skill levels, since I tend to favor Kite (and there's a long laundry list of reasons I have for thinking he's a mid-high level fighter like Hisoka and Illumi), but that's what the comment section is for. Let me know if you think the fight would've gone differently! I love talking about HxH fights, even if so many of the outcomes are completely arbitrary, due to the unpredictable nature of Nen and the giant gaps in character backstories Togashi has left us with. 
> 
> \+ I've been thinking about a series of hypothetical fight fics like this one, with matchups we never got to see in canon (Silva vs. Chrollo, Hisoka vs. Illumi, Chrollo vs. Hisoka, Knuckle vs. Killua, etc.), so if that's something you might want to see, let me know!
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading!


End file.
